For the rest of the morning, Laila went about preparing for her journey. Alain and Connor disappeared for a time, and Lunete helped Laila gather the necessary equipment. She had never been outside of Terus, and she had no idea what to expect. Her mother helped her, even giving her some of her own traveling clothes, as the robes that were so commonly worn in Terus would not be as practical on the outside.
By midday, she was ready. Connor had left to gather food and other supplies at the city center, leaving Laila the last few hours to be with her parents. They spoke little, content to enjoy one another's company. Finally Connor returned, and the time had come for them to leave.
"We will figure out something, Laila-sa," her father said again. "Torin is powerful, but I will do what I can to work against him. You find what you need. We will always be here for you."
Laila smiled at her father, hoping that he would find a way.
Lunete wrapped her strong arms around her daughter, pulling her close. After an extended embrace, Laila finally gathered the courage to push away. Tears rolled down her mother's face, mirroring her own. Before they could say anything else, she turned and walked with Connor to the main street. Turning away from the city center, they made their way towards the gates of Terus and out onto the Plains of Artus as the sun slowly sank below the horizon.
Part Two: The Journey
Seven
Leaving Terus
Laila splashed her face with the water from the river. The cold stung her skin and woke her senses up. She and Connor had set up a small camp off the main southern road out of Terus near the river Vespar, which ran into the Lake Artus. She had spent the night tossing and turning, struggling with the reality of her situation. Within two days she had gained her Citizenship and then revoked it, something that no one—at least to her knowledge—had ever done willingly. Her eyes felt heavy with tears and lack of sleep, and the water did little to help. Connor made them a sparse breakfast before they got under way once again.
For his part, Connor had remained quiet during the first day of their journey. Laila knew that would change—they could not spend the entirety of their time on the road in awkward silence. He had not told her where they were headed or shared any other details about their journey. Laila didn't know if it was because he was respecting her situation and waiting for her to approach him or because he was simply unsure of how to talk to her and content to be silent.
She decided that conversation might be the best thing to help her forget the harshness of her situation, at least temporarily. As she gathered her small pack and straightened her robes, she watched Connor get ready himself, looking for some insight.
He was not a tall boy, only a few inches taller than herself. He still had his black hair pulled back tightly behind his head. Laila was fascinated by the style. Most boys in Terus kept their hair short, and those who did have longer hair let it fall out, not bothering to keep it in place as Connor did. She wondered again if that was a custom from wherever he was from. And that was when it struck her. She knew almost nothing about him. There at least was something she could talk to him about.
"So, I...I was wondering if you can tell me where we’re going?" she asked, her voice catching slightly.
Connor turned to her as they fell into step next to one another. "Oh, I didn't tell you. I apologize, Magusari." He bowed slightly to her. "We—"
"Don't call me that!" Laila hissed. There was no one on the roads yet, but they would likely pass people headed into Terus for their daily business. That title, whatever it meant, held too much similarity to Magus, and that would not do. "Especially not here. You saw what happened to Icarus."
Connor's eyes widened. "I...I'm sorry. I didn't think."
Laila took a deep breath. "It's okay. I just don't even know what that means."
"Magusari?" Connor asked.
"Yes," Laila hissed again, motioning for him to keep his voice quiet.
"I don't really either."
Now it was Laila's turn to look at him wide-eyed. "What do you mean? I thought Icarus told you."
"Kind of. I know that's what he called you. But until a few weeks ago, I hadn't heard it either."
"Oh, well, that's just perfect!" Laila threw her arms up in the air.
"Did I say something wrong?" Connor asked, genuine concern on his face.
"No, I just... This is all happening so fast. Two days ago I was starting my life as a Consul of Terus. Now, I'm leaving, and I don't even know where I'm going."
Connor nodded. "Aye, I understand. A few weeks ago I didn't know anything like this either."
Laila tilted her head as she watched Connor as they walked along the road. "Really?"
"Aye. It's kind of a long story,” he paused, watching the ground in front of him as he walked, “Can I ask you something?" he said finally.
Laila shrugged. "I guess."
"What's a Consul?"
Laila stopped walking. Connor took another couple steps before realizing she had stopped. He turned and looked at her.
"What?" he asked.
"You don't know?"
"No, should I?"
"I... It's... Where are you from?" Laila finally got out, stepping back up to him.
"Custos," Connor said proudly.
Laila caught up to Connor and they began walking again. Custos. The name did not immediately sound familiar, but Laila racked her brain, trying to remember images of old maps and cities from her studies. A comment her mother had made finally helped her remember.
"To the south?"
Connor nodded.
"That's not part of the Confederacy!"
"Aye."
Comprehension dawned on Laila. Now he made a little more sense. The strange hair, the different clothes, his ignorance of the ways of the Confederacy.
"Isn't that area full of barbarians?" asked Laila.
"Really? Barbarians? That's what you think."
Laila shrugged.
"No. At least, none that I've ever seen. Bears, though. There are bears." Connor's voice lowered.
"Well, since you don't know," Laila started, feeling as though she were giving a lecture to a group of young children, "a Consul is a protector of the city and its people."
"Like a warrior?" asked Connor.
"No, that's what the Guardians are for."
Connor raised an eyebrow.
"The Guardians are the warriors. They protect the city from violence, crime, and war. Consuls protect the rights of the people. We—" She caught herself. "They uphold and create the laws that help the people of Terus."
"Like a king?"
Laila laughed. "A little, but kings can be good or bad. The Consulate is made up of the most logical and just people, and working as a group helps keep one person from having too much power."
Connor finally nodded. "Does it work?"
Laila started to respond, but then she caught herself. The events of the last few days were forcing her to reevaluate the stability of her city. Torin had certainly shown that he had a great deal of influence, even over her own father, a well-respected member of the Consulate. Perhaps the grand idea of the Confederacy was not what it should be. The idea struck Laila hard.
"I used to think so." She fell silent, no longer trusting the strength of her voice.
Connor must have sensed her apprehension, and fell silent as well.
They walked along the main road that ran along the coast of Lake Artus from Terus to Balon, another city in the Confederacy. Laila had never been far outside of Terus. She’d taken a couple of trips to the outposts with her mother when she was younger, but she had never gone even as far as the southwest corner of the lake, which was still a day’s journey away.
The lake was still in the morning sun. Laila could just make out the top of the masts of the ships leaving Terus' harbor. A few were spread out across the surface of the lake, but all were too far away to make out any people or movement. They all seemed to sit on the lake like pieces on a game board.
A
s they walked, groups of merchants and farmers became more frequent along the road, passing them by silently. Some had carts, which were either pulled behind them or led by small groups of horses. Connor watched them all, fascination dancing across his face. Laila wondered at his response. What kind of place was Custos? The stories she had heard did not paint an appealing picture. Most included stories of barbarian tribes vying for control of scant resources and resorting to all kinds of horrors to achieve their goals. But Connor was obviously no barbarian. A bit odd possibly, but he likely thought the same of her, their ways being so different.
The sun rose farther into the sky. The roads became less populated as the two of them made their way farther and farther from Terus. The day was unusually warm for this time of autumn, and the heat eventually started to wear on Laila. Her mouth began to feel dry, and she could feel a thin layer of sweat form across her forehead. Connor trudged on, however, with no sign of slowing.
As the day wore on, Connor began to outpace Laila, always staying a few steps ahead of her. When the distance became more noticeable, he would turn and come back to her side, but within another half hour he would have to turn around again. Finally, as the road brought them close to the edge of the lake, he veered off and led her down to the shore. Laila followed instinctually, putting one foot in front of the other simply because that was what she had been doing all day.
When they reached the shore, Connor knelt down and refilled one of his water-skins. Once it was full, he handed it to Laila and motioned for her to drink. She took a hesitant sip, not feeling thirsty. As soon as the water hit her dry mouth and sluiced down her throat, her thirst came roaring back to life. She gulped at the water-skin desperately, finishing its contents within moments.
"Easy, easy," Connor warned, placing his hand gently on hers and pulling the skin away.
Laila gasped, "I...I didn't realize how thirsty I was."
"I figured." He handed her another full skin. "Take your time with this one."
He knelt back to the edge of the lake while she swallowed more of the water.
"You haven't traveled much, have you?" Connor asked as he stood.
Laila shook her head.
He handed her the refilled skin. "Keep this one. Drink from it as we walk. It'll keep you from going crazy from thirst."
Laila took the offered skin and found the ties that let her attach it to the belt wrapped around her waist.
"Have you traveled much?" she asked, finally feeling her thirst ebbing away.
"Not until I met Icarus," Connor answered.
A thought struck Laila suddenly. "You never answered me earlier. Where are we going?"
"Right. Sorry. We're going to the south side of the lake. There's a river—"
"The Auster River," Laila interjected.
"I guess," Connor shrugged.
"That's near Balon."
"Aye, there was a city we passed on our way to Terus. Icarus didn't want to stop, though, said we were in too much of a hurry."
"So, are we going to Balon?"
"No, Icarus said he'd stay on the west shore of the river and wait for us."
"He knew I'd leave?"
"I don't know. He just told me he'd wait there. Almost as if he thought I'd figure out what to do." Connor looked out across the lake absently.
Laila did not understand. There was no way the Magus could have known what would happen. And yet, here she was, headed toward him with a total stranger, leaving her home. She shook her head clear. Just keep going, she told herself. Icarus had the answers.
"Shall we?" Connor said, gesturing back toward the road.
Laila nodded, and they climbed back up to the road and continued on their way. By nightfall, they still had not turned to the east, which Laila knew meant that they had not yet reached the southwestern corner of the lake. They made a small camp, and after a small meal made from dried foods Connor had carried in his pack, Laila laid down to sleep. If they were really headed toward Balon, that meant they still had at least two more days ahead of them. Her muscles ached and twitched as she tried to fall asleep. She did not look forward to two more days of this.
The next day dawned with clouds thick and low in the sky, threatening rain. Laila felt aches and soreness through her legs and back; the night had not helped ease her strained muscles. One pain in particular seemed worse. Searching the ground where she had slept, she found the culprit: a small rock that must have dug into her lower back all night. She sighed, packing up her roll, again questioning her decision. Not that she’d had much choice; Torin would have exiled her regardless.
They ate a cold breakfast and were once again on their way just after sunrise. Connor must have sensed Laila's sour mood, as he walked quietly along beside her. They walked the morning in silence. As they traveled, the road moved in and out from the lake shore. This far south, the ships were even harder to notice. Laila found herself wishing they had taken a ship, especially since they were going to Balon. That was how most people traveled between the cities of the Confederacy.
As the sun rose through the sky, the clouds began to dissipate. Laila took some comfort in the development—at least it would not rain on them. They ate a small lunch as they walked. Laila finally decided to break their silence.
"How did you find me the other day? When I was in the alley?"
She saw Connor stir, as if from a daydream. He turned to her as they walked. "After I saw you in the city center, I saw the three people follow you out. I was trying to figure out the best way to talk to you. I didn't think you'd respond well if I just came up and said, 'Hello, I'm Connor, and I know you're a Magus.'"
He smiled, mostly to himself.
"Yeah, that probably wouldn't have helped." Laila found herself smiling back.
"So," he continued, "when I saw the people following you, I followed. Icarus has been telling me that I'm supposed to protect you. Well, at least, I’m supposed to protect the Magusari, which he said was you."
She flinched at that word, but held her retort in. "You're supposed to protect me? Why?" she asked instead.
Connor just shrugged. "I don't know. I know it's hard for you to believe, but I know about as much as you do. Icarus didn't tell me much."
"How did you meet Icarus?" Laila asked, steering the conversation a different way.
"That's a long story," he answered.
Laila motioned at the road stretched out before them; they would pass the southwestern corner of Lake Artus soon, but they still had many miles before they got to Balon. "We've got some time, I think..."
"Aye." Connor still seemed hesitant.
"Look, you know more about me than I do about you. Let's balance that somewhat. I left my home, the only one I've ever known, to go somewhere with you and meet an old man who I just met three days ago, and that doesn’t even begin to touch what happened with the ground in the alley. I could use a little reassurance that I'm not completely crazy..." Her voice was a mixture of anger and frustration, and she felt a hint of sadness creeping in as she spoke.
Connor looked at her, and she could see the sympathy he felt. "I left my home too."
Laila did not say anything, instead waiting for him to continue. At least, she hoped he was going to continue.
"First," he started, "my clan's been in Custos for a long time. Longer than most of us even know. And we..." He hesitated. "We see the Magi a little differently than you do."
Laila nodded.
They walked a few moments longer, Laila anxiously waiting for him to continue, and Connor trying to build up the courage to speak. Finally he took a deep breath.
"It all started about a month ago."
And with that, Connor began his story.
Eight
Challenges
Connor shuffled his way behind the rest of the small hunting party. He held a short bow with a lazily nocked arrow in front of him. The four other boys ahead of him were similarly armed, except for Cyrus; he also had his father's longsword strapped to his bac
k. Connor still did not know how useful a longsword would be when hunting for deer, but that was Cyrus, so proud.
The woods they moved through were quiet in the late morning light. Dew dripped off of the leaves in the early autumn coolness. Connor watched his footing carefully in the underbrush, not wanting to warn any animals of their presence just yet. The others moved with such ease; there were times he wished he could move like that.
Cyrus raised his hand for them to stop. He then knelt down to the ground, looking at something that had caught his eye. The other boys waited patiently. A bird launching itself from a tree drew Connor's attention. He watched it flutter its wings, trying to catch the wind. As it did, it twisted, banking low over Connor's head. He turned and raised his hands to ward it away. As he did, his foot caught on a small root. He lost his balance momentarily, catching himself heavily against the trunk of a tree. The noise caused a flurry of birds to rise up, following the first. The sudden sound drew the other boys' attention. Cyrus rose up, shaking his head.
"Connor! Graceless fool!" he hissed. "You probably just scared off any game nearby. Thanks a lot.” Though the words were harsh, Connor could see the hint of a smile on Cyrus’s lips.
Connor lowered his head. "Sorry."
"Let's keep going," Cyrus said, moving off again.
Tristan fell into step next to Connor. "What was that about?"
"I don't know. I saw a bird coming at me, and I guess it startled me," answered Connor, shrugging.
Tristan chuckled quietly. "You would, friend. Ah well, I don't think we're going to find anything anyways, whatever Cyrus thinks."
"Thanks," said Connor, his eyes still focused on the ground but grateful for his friend’s support.
They continued through the woods, pushing up toward the crest of a small hill. At the top, they came into a small, empty clearing. The sun was a quarter of the way up in the sky, and out from the cover of the trees, they could feel the threat of a warmer day to come.
Nico dropped his short bow and stretched out on the grass of the clearing. "No game, but at least a little relaxation, no?"
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